Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to hand tools and more particularly to a novel adjustable hand trowel for digging in soil and other media.
Description of the Related Art
The present disclosure relates to hand tools for digging in soil and other media. A trowel is a hand tool used to dig, move around small amounts of viscous or particulate material, and smooth a surface upon which viscous material has been deposited. Trowels may be used in a variety of applications, including gardening, masonry, archeology, and construction. Trowels used for digging, such as gardening trowels, generally comprise a pointed, scooped-shaped metal blade and a handle. The handle may comprise a soft or shock-absorbing material to reduce stress on the user's hand. The handle is typically mounted in a fixed position behind the blade.
A trowel comprising a handle mounted in a fixed position behind the blade can only be used to dig from behind the area intended for excavation and typically requires a clearance of at least about thirteen (13) inches behind the handle to be used effectively. While trowels with adjustable handles have been previously disclosed, such trowels are not particularly useful for digging on account of, inter alia, the handle rotating in relation to the blade due to the pressure created by digging.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,916,472, 3,993,340, 4,475,757, 4,950,013, 5,097,909, 5,450,648, 5,547,240, 5,810,408, 6,027,153, 6,052,857, 6,131,971, 6,315,341, 6,615,928, 6,662,406, 7,284,301, and 7,836,557, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0029825, and U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D208,995, D213,014, D254,705, D256,979, D276,405, D292,865, D305,496, D323,271, D353,085, D422,857, D427,031, D459,957, and D549,643 disclose various trowels and other hand tools with features such as adjustable handles or blades, ergonomic designs, and various other features.
There remains a significant need for a trowel with an adjustable handle or blade that is suitable for digging applications.